Story number 1 for 23 May 2003

(Palestine)–Topping the news, salvaging the Middle East peace plan may be difficult due to the threat of violent backlash. Anti-Western sentiment is again on the rise, presenting a danger for believers. Voice of the Martyrs’ Gary Lane says Muslims generally equate Christianity with the West. The trouble lies in the harassment. “Muslims are turning to Christ in the Palestinian areas. I would say there’s been an exodus of those that have been cultural Christians, those that have been Christians from generation to generation in the Palestinian areas. There’s been a mass exodus out of Palestine because of the persecution.” Lane urges believers to pray the safety of Christians there. “Some people will say ‘well, it’s because of the fighting between the Palestinian Authority and the Israelis’. But, those that I talked to said, ‘no, some of our relatives and friends have left simply because of the persecution’. This is typical for many Christians, particularly those that have been former Muslims and have converted to Christ in the Palestinian Authority areas.”